


Shazam?

by AntiheroPolitics



Category: DCU, DCU (Comics), Shazam! | Captain Marvel (Comics), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Awkwardness, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Magic, Multi, Pansexual Character, Rebirth, Reincarnation, Secret Identity, Self-Insert, Social Anxiety, Superheroes, Trauma, Witchcraft, Young Justice - Freeform, antihero, except not a self-insert, justice league - Freeform, reincarnated OC
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-01-16 16:55:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21274556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AntiheroPolitics/pseuds/AntiheroPolitics
Summary: A woman from our world is reborn as Billy Batson in a pseudo-Young Justice universe. Watch as they fight from both sides of the hero spectrum whilst trying to keep their civilian identity a secret. They’ll have to confront both the forces of evil and their own social awkwardness.The Justice League is in for quite a shock, and the Team is in for quite an odd Teacher.—— This is a prototype story to see if anyone wants me to continue it.I’d like both your positive and negative feedback, just keep it civil please.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I just want to see if anyone would want to read this, any feedback at all is welcomed.  
And be warned, I’m taking a lot of creative liberties here.
> 
> This chapter is just the set up for the story, the timeline will be more coherent after this.
> 
> *Disclaimer*: I don’t own any DC property, but I am a big fan.

Shazam  
Chapter 1: A Complicated Prologue

The truth is often stranger than fiction; I believe that’s why I’m still alive.  
Despite having been brutally murdered in front of a captive audience, I can still see light.  
I’m still able to breathe, even though my ribs had collapsed and punctured my lungs. I feel no pain.

It gets weirder.

My soul now remains in a body not my own, and a very young one at that.

Possibly the most disturbing part of this experience was realizing that this world isn’t the one I died in, but was familiar all the same.

I would say that I’ve adjusted well, but that wouldn’t be the whole truth. If I had been reborn into any other world, a world I was less versed in, I would likely not have gotten this far.

But I do know this place. I’ve read pages upon pages of it. I’ve watched show after show, movie after movie. I know so many events and so many secrets. 

But I will admit, I don’t know how much of what I’ve read and seen will come to pass. The multiverse is an expansive place after all; more expansive than I’d previously thought.

There’s a margin for error in everything, and I’ve never been one to rush in unprepared.

In my old D&D group I more often than not played the rogue, and a rogue attacks from an advantageous position, or not at all. Live to fight another day and all that.

But I digress, my success in this world has been mostly due to my foreknowledge. I’ve begun to view it as a cheat code of sorts, as it functions much the same. But even when you have a leg up on the world, the world can still trip you up. 

Reality, the cruel mistress that she is, just loves to shatter any illusion of distance or comfort.

Sometime into my third year in this world, an alien army invaded.

No, legitimately, aliens.

And, of course, the Justice League was formed. Getting an idea as to where I am? Wonderful.

And do you want to know the best part?  
My new name is Billy Batson, and when I was seven-years-old I was granted phenomenal cosmic power by the wizard Shazam. I almost wish I was joking.

See, I never had any guarantee that this meeting would actually happen. I knew that the other Billy Batson was chosen, but we are very different people. He was pure of heart and I, very obviously, am not. 

So on that fateful day I became one of the many ‘superheroes’ of this universe. Which would ordinarily have been a momentous occasion, but you have to understand, I had no guarantee that I would be chosen. I had been quite certain that I wouldn’t be chosen, actually. So I had gone in search of power elsewhere. My families past, to be specific.

I don’t know if this is true for all incarnations of Billy Batson, but it seems that my birth family had a lot more to share with me, or rather, my grandmother did.

My grandmother is possibly definitely the coolest person to ever exist, despite her progressing dementia and various other ailments.

She was a well-known stunt double and thrill seeker. She held more world records involving motorcycle jumps than anyone else in history, and she was also a witch.

See, her family line had many witches, and each had recorded their knowledge for the review of future generations. They learned from each others' lives and mistakes, both magical and personal.  
History exists to teach us, after all. And it was this glorious history that was passed onto me in the form of the family grimoire. Despite the fact that said book was only meant to be passed onto the women of the line.

Grandmother forgot that bit.

Well, to be fair, I was a woman in my past life. And though I’m male now, and I’ve accepted this, I’ll always think from the female perspective. Certain doors can’t be closed once they’ve been opened. 

I will enjoy the benefits this position provides, but I’ll always use them to help my first cause. 

Back to the point; I learned all I could from the book.  
I made my own equipment. I created magical items. I memorized spells and practiced offensive forms until my body gave up on me.  
Which it did quite often considering I started Martial arts training at the age of three due to my grandmothers connections.  
What my parents didn’t know couldn’t hurt them. They were gone often back then so it wasn’t all that hard to hide, and they, well...  
I cared for them, even though I didn’t have them for long.  
They were killed when I was five.

The past is in the past, and I’ve been working towards the future. 

I’ve been Training, learning, training some more, and skipping through grades as fast as I physically could. I even convinced my grandmother and the school to enroll me in online classes for my own safety and comfort. 

I may be a genius to them, but I’m still a very young child, and therefore corruptible. If only they knew. 

At five I put my training to the test and took to the streets. When the sun went down, I stalked monsters that pretended to be people; the kind of monsters that take advantage of those they deem weaker.  
Death is preferable when compared to some of the things I’ve seen.  
Some things just can’t be scrubbed away or forgotten. 

I’ve been doing all of this whilst being physically five-years-old mind you. Probably not smart, but when you’re a self-taught witch, practical experience can mean everything. 

I’ve turned more rapists into rats than one would think would be necessary in a city like Fawcett. 

It’s always the quiet ones isn’t it?

I don’t really take them on physically, not yet. I’m no Damian Wayne or Cassandra Cain, trained from birth by assassins.  
I’ve got my grandmothers old friend, my past-life’s experience, and a book; not exactly ideal.

I’ll still stop your average mugger mind you, but I don’t handle them the way I handle actual monsters. I leave most of them for the police, but it’s really on a case by case basis.  
I know why people usually resort to crime, and I can’t really fault them for being desperate.  
When your family’s on the line, anyone can be capable of anything. It doesn’t necessarily excuse their actions, but context is important. 

You’re not automatically a horrible person if you commit a crime... depending on the crime of course.

Rape, human trafficking, child abuse, and animal abuse are pretty damn inexcusable in my book.

I’ve kept my darker persona as underground as I could considering that some of my methods might draw the wrong sort of attention from certain members of the league (*cough* Batman.)

I haven’t had too much trouble doing so due in part to my cloak and dagger tactics, and to my uniforms’ incognito mode.  
Specifically, my great-great-grandmother's invention, the Obscurcir et Confondre.  
The Obscurcir makes anyone I come into contact with unable to pin down my exact height, weight, gender, body type and face. This has proven to be invariably my most important tool, due to its sheer versatility. Other than keeping my identity under wraps, it’s surprisingly useful in a fight.  
Imagine fighting an opponent whose body never seems to be where you think it is. It’s incredibly frustrating for them, and wonderful for me.

I may have been training since I was a toddler, but I still don’t pack as much of a punch as I’d like to. I rely on tasers, batons, and the occasional handgun whenever possible. 

I still wear a mask because why the hell would I take the chance of the Obscurcir failing? I’ve enchanted the mask to scramble my voice; it’s not exactly up to par with other parts of my equipment, but it fulfills its purpose.  
Plus it’s a really cool mask. 

I went with Marvel for my codename. It felt like an appropriate homage to the hero I’d unintentionally replaced... 

The only people that actually know of my codename are some of the people I’d helped. There were some I couldn’t just leave alone after the fact, and they asked. 

I don’t believe they’ve told anyone, as I haven’t found any evidence of my name being leaked online or to the papers. 

Let’s just say that I’m very thankful that I focused on stealth over other, flashier, magics. Especially when I was at such a low level.

At the time, my age held me back as far as magical ability went. Magic functions much like a muscle, in that it must be exercised regularly in order to build up reserves, and that takes time.  
But after my surprising selection via dying senile Gandalf, my reserves tripled.

I’m torn between being ecstatic and terrified. Having access to more magic early on is wonderful, but my chances of being noticed now have risen significantly. And I don’t mean noticed on the job. I’m going to have to be extra vigilant as just Billy Batson. 

There are plenty of mystical threats in this world, and I’d rather not stand out to them.

After I was chosen, I ended up going with the name “Captain” for my new alter-alter-ego, considering I’m already using Marvel and I can’t say the word Shazam without transforming.

I’m just praying no one asks me why I chose the name, and that nobody from another universe pops over and puts two and two together.

Overall, being chosen was a blessing, as it allows me the chance to mitigate the damage to the timeline I’d caused.

But boy do I wish my costume was less bright. 

At the very least my Captain persona more closely resembles the one shown in Justice League War. If I were to be stuck with the one shown in the Young Justice version, I’d be extremely upset. 

Speaking of Young Justice, this universe seems to be an amalgam of the show and comics. Which has led me to spend, frankly, an unhealthy amount of time researching and double checking my information. 

Batman’s still Bruce Wayne, Superman’s still thinks glasses are enough of a disguise, and John Constantine is still a human train wreck. 

I swear I’m gonna have to meet John Constantine one day. That man is one of the most entertaining fuckups to ever exist.

I feel like at the very least I would learn what not to do when it comes to magic from him. Honestly, I really do need to learn some basic ground rules. The grimoire can only help so much.  
I’ve already begun experimenting with magic, and at any moment I could kill myself or summon some unknowable horror; that’s still not going to stop me, but I really should endeavor to learn from someone who knows a damn thing about the subject.  
He probably wouldn’t mind my alter ego’s darker side either. 

I don’t get too many supernatural threats in Fawcett, likely due to the late great wizard. His death hasn’t exactly gone unnoticed amongst the mystical community.  
Fawcett was guarded for years by some mysterious power, and when that power suddenly disappears, people are bound to be curious.

I’m Fawcett’s guardian now I guess... I’ll do my best.

I can’t go it slow now, there’s no time. 

The plot’s not going to wait for me, and there’s still plenty to do.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our intrepid semi-hero gets comfortable in their new routine, sets some boundaries, makes some new friends, and prepares to meet with the Justice League.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! After this chapter the plot will get going. The Justice League will be showing up in the next chapter, and boy is it going to get awkward. Lend me your thoughts on how this is going.
> 
> *Disclaimer*: I don’t own any DC properties, again, I’m just a super-fan.

Juggling a double life can be difficult, I think everyone can understand why. Between keeping up civilian appearances and maintaining a crime-fighting career, the stress is enough to make just about anyone snap.

I, however, live a triple life; meaning that any chance of a social life I had is pretty much fucked. I didn’t really have one to begin with, but the option is gone now. The closest thing I have is Bellamy, the guy who‘s been training me.

Even after my grandmother’s death, he still makes time for me at his gym. Sure, I don’t spend as much time there as I’d like, but any bit of help I can get from him is welcomed.

Visiting the gym’s become my go-to excuse to slip away from my fosters.

The Vásquezes are lovely people, but I’m not a real child, and I have a job to do.

They should be focusing their efforts on the actual children in their care. There are some really good kids in that house, kids who actually need parents like the Vásquezes to help them along.

I know they worry about me, especially Mrs.Vásquez; She thinks I’m a traumatized boy who’s too mature for his own good. And she’s half right, but she really doesn’t need to know how she’s right. It’s safer for her that way.

A woman as kind and maternal as her wouldn’t be happy to know how often the seven-year-old in her care isn’t where he’s supposed to be.

She still thinks I’m spending the majority of my days studying and completing my online classes. The classes themselves are _painfully_ easy, but I can’t complain. They afford me plenty of free time to slip away and work as _Captain_.

The general public really took to the name. Though, they tend to call me ‘_The Captain_’, which sounds pretentious no matter how you try to phrase it. I'm not in this life for the fame or the media coverage, but boy, do I wish I came off as less of a boy scout.

Why wasn’t I allowed to pick the costume?

Ultimately, I know that the aesthetics don’t matter. I’m here to help in any way that I can, even to the detriment of myself.

Let’s just say that I’ve been relying _very_ heavily on the stamina of Atlas to get me through the day. Without it, I wouldn’t be able to keep up with my Marvel persona at all.

I like the power I’m afforded when I work as Captain. I’m able to fly across the globe and respond to threats I could never dream of confronting as Marvel.

But Marvel... Marvel has my heart.

There’s something so... _rewarding_ in keeping Fawcett’s people safe at night. It’s in the dark, when the sun dips away and any and all light is fluorescent, that the monsters of this ‘family friendly’ city shed their human skin.

This town has its own dangers, and people are right to be afraid.

I used to be scared, scared in the same way that they are. Now I get to help them, to help people. I get to chip away at their fears.

I confront what were once my greatest fears; I confront them every night, for the sake of others. And I’m a stronger person because of it.

They don’t scare me anymore.

I hold no illusions that I can save everyone, or that I can rid the world of evil people. A single person can’t stop a tsunami, and no one can be everywhere at once.

The world can be beautiful, and in equal parts, ugly.

I'm getting stronger every day, and I’m not about to slow down, not any time soon. There’s still so much to learn, and _magic_, magic’s a never-ending study that keeps me smiling through all the rain.

I’m a naturally curious person, so you can imagine how something so exotic an unknown would be too much for me to resist.

The Grimoire’s more than happy to oblige my curiosity.

It seems that my new family has specialized in blood magic from the very beginning. It’s a darker branch of magic to be sure, and a very dangerous one at that. But, through every generation and every practitioner of the art, our blood has gotten stronger.

It’s developed properties that have helped our family in the creation of spells, rituals, and artifacts that only we can use reliably.

It's also brought us plenty of pain.

The problem with our brand of blood magic, other than the stigma, is that there are many, many, _many_ different creatures out there that would want us dead, or more specifically, on their dinner plate. There’s a reason I’m all that’s left.

I admit, it's a fairly big detractor.

I’m not too worried about that now, not with my recent power ups. Captain packs a punch like you wouldn’t believe, and I don’t think there’ll ever be a vampire dumb enough to try and take him on.

Shit, I’ve been thinking in third person way more than is healthy. It’s getting to be a problem.

God help the telepath that manages to break down my defenses to read this shit... Actually, no. Fuck that guy, you break into my head and you’ll get what you deserve.

...Anyway, other than magic, I’ve been learning to master my newfound strength. Fighting baseline humans as the Captain is _much_ harder than it looks.

So much so, that I’ve decided that I’ll limit my time as Cap to aiding firefighters, rescue operations, natural disasters, and fighting the odd super villain. At night, I’ll handle just about everything else, squishy humans and all.

That’ll help with keeping my lives separate at least. The last thing I want to do is accidentally incriminate myself. I don’t want anyone finding a way to link Marvel and The Captain together.

This world has detectives that _far_ outstrip me in deductive power and resources, and I’m sure as hell not going to give them any dots to connect.

It seems the sheer absurdity of my situation is my best defense.

Who in their right mind would suspect that The Captain,_ a grown ass man_, was in actuality a seven-year-old boy; a boy who also happened to be Marvel, the semi-lethal magic Batman of Fawcett City.

“The truth is often stranger than fiction.” Story of my life.

I’ve been doing my best to avoid the Justice League. I need to get my story straight before I jump that particular hurdle.

See, I can perform as both a superhero and an antihero without a shred of fear, but put me in any sort of social situation and I’ll just be internally screaming the whole way through.

I need to decide how much I’m willing to reveal to them. I can’t afford to give the Bat any hints, but I also can’t afford to have the league suspicious of me... and I can’t keep avoiding them forever.

I _have_ to accept the position on the League when it’s offered to me.

And they are going to offer it to me, if the way various leaguers have been popping up in and around my usual haunts has been any indication.

I’d also imagine that if they’d offered a spot to the other Billy, who for all intents and purposes appeared to be an immature man-child, odds are in my favor they’d reach out to me.

On a lighter note, as Marvel I’ve acquired a set of contacts to help me with investigative work: and they make for quite an interesting pair.

Persephone Williams, an accomplished hacker and underground activist, and Hafsa Albadi, an investigative journalist and former law student.

Full disclosure, the first time I met Persephone I _may_ have made a fool of myself. In my defense, she‘s stunning in both personality and visage, and I’d like to see anyone else do any better.

Now, I wouldn’t say that it was love at first sight, because I won’t even begin to consider romantic relations for another ten years or so, but it was definitely _like_ at first sight.

It’s like, when you meet someone who’s very essence reads as ten puppies frolicking in an open field on a warm summers day; she’s like hugs and hot chocolate personified.

She stands just barely over five foot two, and holds a fair amount of weight on her pear shaped frame.

Her skin’s a rich caramel, and her eyes are the brightest shade of honey I’ve ever seen. She’s genuinely one of the most compassionate individuals I’ve ever met.

And I’ve been waxing-poetic about her appearance and virtues for _far_ too long; It’s getting weird.

Anyway, as for her hacking skills, she’s truly an artist. Any digital file that the government or the police department has is basically hers, and now mine, for the taking.

I’m not saying she’s _Oracle_ level, but she’s still the best I’ve ever met.

I came by her through a woman’s shelter that I’ve escorted some people to; she helps them start over: New names, passports, paper trails, bank statements, and anything you could think of, she can get them.

Basically, she’s my information broker. She’s also how I met Hafsa.

Hafsa lends her services to the shelter and places like it, getting evidence and information for the right people.

She’s probably the most determined individual I’ve ever met. She’s been a great help in tracking down organized crime and corrupt officials.

She’s not necessarily the most put together person _(I.e. she’s a human disaster)_, but when she commits to something, she _commits_.

Ultimately, they’re both phenomenal assets to have on my side. Im stretched too thin as is, some delegation will do me some good.

As long as I don’t give them too much information about myself, we’re good.

They’ve also softened me up to the idea of working with others. They’re not as intimidating as the Justice League, but they’re a step in the right direction.

I need friends.

_Super Friends_.

I couldn’t resist. Puns are my greatest weakness.


	3. Social Disasters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our intrepid hero’s finally been asked to join the big kids table. Will they be able to successfully pull the wool over the Justice leagues eyes?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with me this far. I hope you like where I’m going with this.
> 
> *disclaimer*: I own nothing but my worthless soul. I merely walk through other people’s gardens.

Natural disasters have a way of bringing people together.

In my case, it brought me face to face with the people I’ve been avoiding for years.

Or rather, two of said people.

Early one morning, an earthquake struck the tail-end of Illinois; nothing too serious, just a minor quake followed by a series of aftershocks.

No, The quake itself didn’t do too much damage, it’s what it set in motion that caused the mess I’m currently dealing with.

An existing network of faulty pipingwas jostled during the quake, which caused a gas leak, which in turn caused a series of explosions to be set off throughout the business district of a densely populated city.

This, naturally, led to chaos: Major structures were shaken, parts of the city were collapsing in on themselves, fires licked the sides of skyscrapers from the exposed inferno below.

By the time I got there, trails of black smoke were touching the tops of the clouds, acting as a beacon you could spot from miles away.

People were screaming from all corners of the city, some for their loved ones and others from pain, from death.

I helped where I could, getting people from rooftops, spot treating fires, and lifting rubble to free those trapped underneath.

“Help! Someone, please! It’s cracking, we’re going to-!”

An office building three blocks down,the foundation was clearly damaged; I can hear the center of the building and the ground below shifting and groaning.

If I can just—

Without warning, the lower floor windows shatter all at once in a shower of glass. The building tips to the side, and in what felt like slow motion, it fell.

Half a second later I’m there, holding up the leaning tower and slowing its descent as much as I physically can.

People were screaming from the inside, but I knew if I reacted at all physically I’d jostle the building and the whole thing would break apart in my arms.

I can hear a displacement in the air behind me and-

“Need any help?”

—I know that voice. I most certainly could use some help.

“If you could clear the way for the landing that’d be great.” I’m not quite sweating because I don’t think this form can sweat, but keeping concentration whilst knowing that The Wonder Woman is literally right behind me is a lot of pressure.

By the time I touched down, the only thing left in the way was a fire hydrant that for obvious reasons couldn’t be moved.

From the corner of my eyes, I could see people lined up on the sidelines trying to catch a glimpse, or a shot; it doesn’t matter.

I shouldn’t really be surprised that she’s here; she’s notorious for responding faster than most in crisis situations. Honestly, it’s a wonder we haven’t intersected sooner.

Once the building settled, we both got started helping people evacuate from the remains, only after that was finished did I turn to look at her.

Her eyes are just as sharp as you’d expect from someone who hails from a warrior society. They command attention and respect, like a general at war, but with a kindness that hits you square in the chest and makes you want to confess your life story.

I should probably say something. I move forward and extend my arm out towards her with an open hand. She reaches out to meet mine, and again I’m reminded that she’s from a warrior culture. If I were in my regular form I’d have a bruised hand for weeks.

She’s so cool.

I smiled, “Hi, it’s an honor to meet you. Though, I wish it was under better circumstances.” Nailed it.

Her eyes soften and her expression turns pensive. “As do I, but in this line of work it’s to be expected.”

As our hands drop back to our sides, her eyes sharpen again and her smile sets into a casual and friendly tilt. “After this situation is dealt with, I’d like to speak with you further.” Her tone offered no room for me to disagree. It’s good I wasn’t planning to anyway.

“No problem, but I don’t know how long this is bound to take,” I replied.And I really don’t; you have to act carefully when pulling people from rubble, lest you accidentally crush someone to death.

She smiles. “It might not take as long as you’d think,” she countered, with noticeable humor in her tone.

Hmm...?

“Hi!” I hear him before I see him. A blur of red suddenly flashes past and comes to a stop beside us.

“I’m Flash! Nice to meet you!—“

He’s smiling at me with obvious enthusiasm and spastic energy.“—I could use both of your help right about now. I’m a speedster, not super-strong; You lift, I’ll grab!”

We spent hours repeating that procedure: I’d listen for survivors, Wonder Woman and I would lift debris, then flash would swoop in to grab civilians.

It took longer than what I would’ve liked to stabilize the situation. I’d say we did pretty well, all things considered. There were plenty of people caught under rubble in need of a hand, and a good deal of them were injured (and dead). We did what we could, where we could.

Still, Flash lived up to his namesake and really sped things along. Without him, this might’ve taken us till sun-up the next morning.I’m still going to be home late tonight, very late, but at the very least they won’t send out a search party. Maybe. But the Vásquezes will have to wait a little longer, I’ve still got a conversation to struggle through.

When all was said and done, we settled in a secluded park just a few miles outside the city. I spent most of the time it took to get there trying to figure out what to say.

I’m not really sure what angle I want to stick with. I’m certainly not going to be completely myself around them, no matter how much I might end up liking them. We have different ideas of right and wrong, very different ideas, and I don’t need them as enemies.

My alter, alter ego has technically facilitated the deaths of at least over thirty people. But really, all I did was turn them into rats and let them scurry around a city that has one of the largest feral cat populations in the U.S.Not all that bad when you think about it. If that’s not karmic Justice I don’t know what is.

Anyway, I can’t let my mouth run-off and give away too many details for them to track. I could always lie, but considering that some of these people are certifiable geniuses, I’m not so confident in my ability to fool them.

So a strong silent type maybe? I look the part, with a little luck I could probably pull it off.

“You alright big guy?” Questioned Flash, placing a hand on my shoulder. The touch is enough to bring me back to the present. I must have spaced out again, not the time.

I paused and looked towards him for a moment. “Yes...”— I moved to sit on the nearest bench, just a few yards away from where I was standing —“people were killed; I’m ... reflecting.”

Wonder Woman walked towards me, and claims the spot beside me on the bench.

She sighed, letting out a long breath and tilting her head downwards as if in deep thought. “It’s harder to reconcile such tragedy when there’s no clear enemy to fight. When an accident claims so many lives...” her head turns to face mine, and our eyes connect. “You’ll never truly get used to it.”

Flash chuckled from where he was leaning against a lamppost, “Way to give a guy some hope Diana!” His smile was wide, but strained. Clearly he’s had plenty of experience with this sort of thing, but he’s a sensitive enough person for it to still sting.

Wonder Woman looked over towards Flash with amusement. “I only speak the truth, if the lasso at my side is any indication,” she smirked.

It’s not that I don’t love their banter, but we seriously need to hurry this along, I’m dangerously late. “I don’t mean to sound rude,”— I looked to both of them individually —“but I’m already late for something. You said you wanted to talk...?” I bit the inside of my cheek to hide my nerves.

They paused for a moment and looked to each other, then back to me. Wonder Woman moved to sit a bit straighter, and twisted so that we were face-to-face.

“You’ve done a lot of good work so far, and the league has taken notice,” her tone was one of complete professionalism. “We’ve recently begun expanding our roster so that we’re better prepared to take on a variety of threats at once,” she pauses. Her eyes are friendly, but piercing nonetheless. She looks to Flash for a moment, a silent conversation passes between them. When she looks back to me, there’s a resoluteness in her expression.

“We want you on the League. We feel that you’d make a capable ally, and a strong addition to our ranks.”

I’ve never felt so flattered. If I didn’t already know this was coming, I’d be blushing right about now.

I waited for an appropriate amount of time to pass before I responded, “Well, I might as well give it a shot. What’s the worst that could happen?”

I grinned, with only a small amount of reluctance behind my eyes.

Flash smirked in return, and moved to shake my hand. His grip was strong and hurried, but somehow managed to convey his enthusiasm. “Welcome aboard! We’re an odd bunch, but I think you’ll fit in just fine. We’re having a meeting to welcome our new members in a few days, I hope you can make it.” He’s clearly very friendly, and though he’s an energetic person, it appears he’s much more controlled than his youthful accomplice. I think we’ll get along just fine.

Wonder Woman fills me in on the details of the meeting: where to meet her for pick up, what to expect, etc.

We all went our separate ways after that, them to their homes and families, and me to my without a doubt panicking fosters.

O.K., cover story; I fell asleep in my hidey-hole between two bookshelves at the library.

They can’t be too mad can they?


	4. The Flash and the New Fish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The newly expanded Justice League gathers together, and the Flash proves to be far more perceptive than most would assume.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the wait! I'm a shitty writer and I know it, so I write more in spurts than consistently.

They can be, and they were.

I underestimated maternal fury;

_never again._

She’s so tiny, how does she manage to be that terrifying?

Jesus Christ, give me the Joker any day.

________________________________________________________________________________

**Justice League Watchtower: **

**POV Flash**

First impressions are important. How you present yourself can color other’s opinions of you, which in turn decides how they treat you.

As a rule, I’ve decided to always be late to everything. I know that to many people that’s considered very rude; and that’s exactly why I do it.

Not to be rude, but to see how they react to my presumed rudeness.

You never really know a person until you’ve seen them annoyed. Being late’s a subtle and non-aggressive way to test the waters.

My point is I’m used to being the last person to any sort of meeting, which made the fact that I wasn’t this time VERY weird. I wasn’t even second to last, there were still two people missing.

The two people in question being Wonder Woman and The Captain.

Most everyone here had already taken a seat around the conference table, some were locked in their own conversations and others were sizing each other up; the new recruits in particular.

I moved to take my usual seat beside Hal, who was currently making small talk with Lantern Stuart.

“Sorry I’m late, Got held up in traffic!” I can’t help but smirk at my own joke.

“Very original,” said Hal in an exasperated tone. He’s mostly used to my antics by now. “You get a pass this time since you’re not the last to show”— he squints his eyes at me— “why aren’t you the last to show?”

“I’m honestly not sure myself, but it probably has to do with the new recruit, she’s bringing in The Captain,” I answered.

Wonder Woman’s never late, so I can’t imagine her being at fault. I’d pegged him as the punctual, rule following type, but I could be wrong; The guy’s a brick wall, both literally and figuratively.

He’s like Batman in the sense that he seems to only show you what he wants you to see, which is usually nothing.

Honestly, he wasn’t what I was expecting. But I really should’ve suspected that he was a bit more than he seemed when he kept clearly avoiding the League in progressively ridiculous fashions.

All of the more mobile Leaguers had tried to make contact with him before, it was purely by luck that Diana and I ended up in the same place as him.

As far as appearances go, he’s most similar to Superman. Hell, they even have a similar power-set, which is actually terrifying come to think of it...

A Superman with Batman’s personality...

Well shit, lets get off that train of thought right the frick now.

Hal had turned to talk with Stuart. I tuned in to hear him regaling his fellow Lantern with stories of our comedic exploits, mostly at my expense, but I really don’t mind too much.

Most people seem to think I’m some sort of idiot, and I don’t discourage that idea.

You tend to get a good read on people when they’re busy underestimating you.

So I’ve taken on the role of class clown, which is sorely needed in this bunch; too many stick-in-the-muds for my liking.

Looking around, I can see that everyone’s taken their seats. I can tell by their expressions that the rooms patience is starting to wear thin. Atom, Aquaman, and the Hawks are the most obviously irritated. I think by Batman’s glower that he’s also annoyed, but he could just as easily be thinking about Gotham, again the man’s hard to read.

A while passes before I see Superman shifting from the corner of my eye; he’s looking towards the doors.

They must be here.

It’s not long til the doors open and Wonder Woman strides into the room, Cap not too far behind her.

“Sorry we’re late, we ran into some trouble along the way,” she said, taking one of the two remaining seats. “Let’s get started.”

Cap sits in the seat beside Wonder Woman, his face completely blank. Okay, I’ve gotta figure this guy out, it’s like he’s dangling a carrot in front of my face.

“Agreed,” said Batman, clicking a remote that brings down a screen showing our recently recruited members. “We’ve finished filling out our ranks and felt it would be appropriate to gather everyone together to familiarize ourselves with each other so that we can work together optimally, and present a united front.” (That’s the most I’ve ever heard him speak in a row) He turns to Diana, who begins with the introductions, and I turn my sights to the new recruits.

The first up was Red Tornado: an advanced AI Robo-person that I HAVE to talk science with later. He seems a little stiff and unpracticed in talking to people, but I think he’ll grow on me fairly quickly.

Next was Atom: clearly a military man, and he seems to have a matching personality. Nothing against the guy, but for obvious reasons our vibes might not mesh too well. But with the power-set he’s rockin’, I really shouldn’t ‘poke the bear’ so to speak, at least not yet.

After him is Black Canary, who I’ve known for a while now through Ollie. Her canary cry is tough, but not nearly as tough as her mastery of combat. I’m not ashamed to say that I’m afraid to piss her off; she can break me in more ways than I can count.

After her is Lantern John Stuart: I really only know him through Hal, who says he’s a bit of a hard-ass. Honestly though, I suspect that’s just Hal covering for his own insecurities about not being Earths only Lantern, and not even being the League’s only Lantern anymore.

Things really started to pick up as we got closer to Zatara:

Giovanni Zatara is a stage magician and an ACTUAL magician as it happens. I’ve got plenty of questions for the guy, but the most pressing right now is ‘why the hell is he looking at the Captain like that?’ Seriously, it’sgetting weird.

The magician in question is currently staring at the Captain through narrowed eyes with clear confusion on his face, as if he doesn’t understand what he’s seeing.

_What is he seeing?_

Captain doesn’t seem to be too fond of said attention. He actually seems just as confused as Zatara, but for entirely different reasons obviously.

By the time we actually got around to Zatara he seemed to collect himself enough to give a brief introduction and layout his skill set.

When he finished, his eyes and everyone else’s shifted to Cap.

“Call me Captain, or Cap if it’s easier. I don’t have anything to say, so if anyone has a question now’s the time to ask.” Talk about blunt. Definitely a Batman type.

“What are you?” said Hal.

Jesus Christ man, be a little subtle!

I can practically feel Diana’s glare from here, and I’m only sitting next to you!

Cap raises an eyebrow. “What do you think I am?” he responds.

“Well...” Hal shrugs, and after a moment he vaguely gestures towards Superman.

Cap’s expression relaxes, I think he’s more amused than anything right now.

He looks to Superman, who’s trying to look like he’s not at all curious, and is epically failing. He smiles and looks back to Hal. “Sorry to disappoint, but I’m human.”

The tension in the room clears and everyone collectively relaxes. Except for Batman, who appeared completely unaffected throughout the entire exchange.

“But not a _normal_ human it seems,” said Zatara.

Cap’s eyes soften, “Are any of us normal?”

“...I suppose not,” said Zatara.

“Your powers... they come from a mystical source, yes?”

What?

I immediately looked to Cap, who didn’t react at all to Zatara’s statement, further cementing it as fact. _Plot twist_.

The room was split in their reactions: Some were confused, some were shocked, some did nothing (Batman & Red Tornado), and some were downright intrigued. I like to think I’m a bit of everything, but that’s not really important right now.

Aquaman’s reaction was probably the strangest, but considering his wife is a powerful sorceress, I kind’ve get that he has a dog in the race. His shock is odd though, his seems to be tinted more with disbelief. I’m suddenly reminded that Atlantis has basically cornered the market on powerful magic, or at least they say they have; honestly, I don’t know enough about the subject to have a stance.

I don’t really have long to think on Aquaman before Cap responds.

“To make an overly convoluted story short; An old sorcerer died, and gave me his power.”

Jeez, talk about a bare-bones explanation.

Zatara’s eyes widened almost comically before they settled down again. “Excuse my confusion, but you don’t exactly present yourself as a sorcerer. Your powers and image seem more closely related to that of Superman, or perhaps even a meta-human.”

Cap’s expression fades back to his usual blank slate, if a bit mildly irritated. “He wanted a champion, someone who would blend in with the ‘modern age’ of heroes.” He somehow manages to straighten his already fairly rigid posture, which shows off how incredibly huge this guy is. _Seriously_, how does he even have a secret identity? It’s not like he blends in with a crowd. He doesn’t even wear a mask!

“I think it’s time to move on from introductions,“ said Diana, looking around the room and effectively shutting down the interrogation.

From then on nothing really remarkable happens. Diana, Batman, and Superman give a rundown of Justice League duties, resources, and expectations; the usual boring job orientation.

No one really sticks around for long after the meeting, as most of us have jobs and families to get back to. Captain was one of the very first to leave, likely to avoid confrontation with the magically inclined leaguers that clearly still had questions for him.

I know one thing for certain after this little get-together; things in Justice League are about to get a whole lot more interesting.


End file.
